The amount of data transferred between electronic devices has grown tremendously the last several years. Large amounts of audio, streaming video, text, and other types of data content are now regularly transferred among desktop and portable computers, media devices, handheld media devices, displays, storage devices, and other types of electronic devices.
Power may be transferred with this data, or power may be transferred separately. Power and data may be conveyed over cable assemblies. Cable assemblies may include a cable that may have wire conductors, fiber optic cables, or some combination of these or other conductors. Cable assemblies may also include a connector insert at each end of the cable, though other cable assemblies may be connected or tethered to an electronic device in a dedicated manner. The connector inserts may be inserted into receptacles in the communicating electronic devices.
During these insertions, a user inserting a connector insert may exert a force in the direction of insertion into the receptacle. Also, the direction of insertion may be somewhat tilted or rotated. This force may exert compression and angular forces on one or more portions of the connector receptacle. This force may damage the connector receptacle causing a reduction or loss of functionality of the electronic device housing the connector receptacle. Similar forces may be exerted on one or more portions of a connector receptacle after a connector insert has been inserted in the receptacle or during extraction of a connector insert from the receptacle.
Also, these connector inserts may be inserted into a device receptacle one or more times a day for multiple years. It may be desirable that these connector inserts be reliable and do not break or wear down prematurely, since such failures may lead to user dissatisfaction with the electronic device.
Electronic devices may be sold in the millions, with an attendant number of connector receptacles sold with them. With such volumes, any reduction or simplification in the manufacturing of a connector receptacle becomes significant. For such reasons, it may be desirable that these connector receptacles are readily manufactured.
Thus, what is needed are connector receptacles that are able to withstand insertion and other forces, are reliable, and are easy to manufacture.